1. We Don't Belong Here (1 Peter 1:1-2)

Following Christ is harder than it seems. Perhaps you were misled to believe that Christianity would make life happy and easy. Or maybe you knew it would have its challenges, but you couldn't predict the extent or direction of the difficulties. The Apostle Peter had similar experiences. He wrote a letter to disillusioned Christians who had grown aware that Christianity is harder than they expected. Peter reminds us that we are strangers in a hostile land. To survive this temporary journey, we must maintain an eternal perspective. Glory awaits us in heaven, but this life is filled with hardship for Christ's followers. Suffering precedes glory. If you didn't expect this, you should have looked more carefully at the life of Christ before following Him.

Jeff has been happily married to Jenny for 18 years and they have two daughters. He joined the staff of Trinity Bible Church of Richardson, Texas in 2001, and became its fifth Senior Pastor in 2005. You can follow Jeff's blog at www.jeffreyemiller.com.
Jeff has published both popular and academic... More